Volumetrics Diet: What You Need to Know

There are no menus that you have to follow and no mandates as to how or when certain foods should be eaten. Instead, Volumetrics contains extensive charts of the energy density (E.D.) and caloric content of one serving of dozens of foods. The charts are arranged from lowest to highest energy density, making it easy to make good low-cal, low-density choices. Though the charts are extensive, you can calculate the E.D. of any food by dividing the number of calories per serving by the weight in grams per serving. A low E.D. means you can eat more of the food; a high E.D. means you should restrict your intake. The authors provide a collection of breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus from which to choose, plus a list of 200-calorie snacks. You'll also find more than 60 pages of recipes for dishes that have low E.D.s. Soup is promoted as an appetite controller, and research is cited showing that eating soup before meals may help control calorie intake due to its high volume, high water content, and low calorie count.

Overall, the diet provides about 20 to 30 percent of calories from fat, 55 percent from carbohydrate, and 15 percent from protein. It also includes 20 to 30 grams of fiber and lots of water--9 cups a day for women and 12 cups a day for men.

Fact or Fiction: What the Experts Say

Rolls, one of the authors of Volumetrics, is an expert in appetite and appetite control and has been researching the topic for years. She has published dozens of scientific papers on the topic and has translated them into a practical diet. According to Liz Ward, M.S., R.D., a nutrition counselor in Reading, Massachusetts, "Volumetrics is all about a dieting philosophy that nutritionists have been preaching for years--choose foods wisely and you can eat more." The authors also make exercise an integral part of the Volumetrics plan, a recommendation about which all experts agree.

Gains and Losses/What's the Damage?

The diet is a healthful one that encourages the consumption of more plant foods -- fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes. The sample menus and recipes are helpful in following the guidelines. If you are true to the Volumetrics formula for eating, you should feel satisfied and still lose weight.

Dieters have a number of different choices for low-calorie diets. You now have the facts to decide if one is right for you.

Quick Take

Diet based on the energy density of foods

Large servings of low-density foods are allowed

Encourages drinking lots of water and eating foods that have a high water content